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Now that the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA’s) individual mandate has been repealed by federal tax legislation, what’s next for Covered California?

The ACA created the individual mandate, which requires most Americans to have health coverage or else pay a tax penalty. Covered California, the state’s health care exchange, was developed under the federal ACA to provide residents with access to low-cost coverage options. …

State officials announced this summer that Covered California premiums will increase by an average of 12.5 percent in 2018. “The expectation is that it would go up higher for 2019,” Abrahms said.

However, California has been taking steps to bolster the exchange. State officials have tried to prop up the system through aggressive marketing campaigns and other strategies, Abrahms noted. This could drive people to have health insurance regardless of whether it’s legally required.

Risk pool changes could drive some participating insurers out of the exchange, Abrahms said.